M’s notes: Wak sets pitching rotation … with a TBA

Minus Cliff Lee and with Erik Bedard’s status still up in the air, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu has set his pitching rotation for after the All-Star break.

Doug Fister will pitch Thursday in the opening game of the next series at Anaheim, followed by Felix Hernandez on Friday, Ryan Rowland-Smith on Saturday and Jason Vargas in the Sunday finale.

Erik Bedard

But Wakamatsu listed his fifth starter for the following Monday’s game against the White Sox at Safeco Field as TBA, given the uncertainty over Bedard.

The oft-injured pitcher was originally scheduled to play catch on Saturday, but that was pushed back to Sunday, with a bullpen session to take place in Anaheim.

“It’s more about the reevaluation and just making sure we take one extra day,” Wakamatsu said of the latest slowdown. “What we care about is him getting back out there. I don’t think you can force the issue. You just have to take it day to day and hopefully today he feels good and we’ll move on.”

Wakamatsu is reluctant to suggest Bedard will be ready to roll, since his past two years in Seattle have been as much stop as start. How the 31-year-old lefty comes out of his next bullpen session will help determine whether he needs another minor-league rehab start or more time to build up his arm strength.

“It’s just so hard to tell because he’s had a couple setbacks. I think the best thing is just to see how he comes out of it and make plans accordingly,” Wakamatsu said.

Smoak signals: After Justin Smoak struck out three times and went 0-for-4 in his Saturday debut at first base, Wakamatsu has the rookie at designated hitter Sunday afternoon to give him a bit of a break.

The Mariners caution that the 23-year-old prospect needs time and shouldn’t be judged harshly by his current .205 batting average.

“This kid is just starting his career,” Wakamatsu said. “To be traded and come over with the expectations and all those things, he’s got to work some things out. But we’ve seen him and he’s awfully impressive. We’re just going to have to be patient with him.”

Yankees right-hander Javier Vazquez kept Smoak off balance Saturday with a lot of offspeed pitches, striking him out twice on changeups and rarely challenging him. It might be a different story Sunday with big lefty C.C. Sabathia on the mound for the Yankees, but Smoak figures to see lots of offspeed offerings until he proves he can deal with it.

“Yeah, obviously yesterday was a steady diet of changeups and breaking balls,” Wakamatsu said. “I know in Texas they were flipping him around to the right side and he had some struggles there, but that’s all part of the learning process. With the advance reports and everything else, nothing gets by teams. If there’s a game he strikes out three times, he’s going to see a lot of it.

“Obviously CC is a little bit different facing him today. It’ll give us a chance to see him from the right side. It’s not something you go in right away and say you need to change all these things. You have to be patient. He’s going to work those thing out. But he’s proven he can hit. You look at his swing and there’s plenty in there.”

Remembering the voice: Legendary Yankees Stadium public-address announcer Bob Sheppard died Sunday at age 99 and the topic dominated the conversation among the visiting Yankees.

Everyone who played or watched a game at Yankees Stadium in the past five decades treasured the memory of Sheppard’s intonations. Wakamatsu had a chance to sit and talk with Sheppard in a visit to New York three years ago and said his memory is of the ultimate gentleman.

But he also recalled a tale Sheppard told him.

“We were sitting there talking and he said, ‘I think it’s probably time to go when I have to announce ‘Fanny Pack Night.’ I thought that was the funniest thing,” Wakamatsu said. “He’s announced legend after legend and now these new promotions are getting to him.

“He signed a ball for me and it’s one of my proudest possessions.”

Sunday’s lineups: Smoak is back in the sixth spot, but at DH today as the Mariners look to give him a slight breather. Wakamatsu said the move also allows Casey Kotchman a shot at first base and gives Russell Branyan an extra day to rest heading into the All-Star break after playing six straight games.